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"When they allow a talk show host to play them like a two-dollar banjo, they demonstrate what kind of backbone they'll bring to the job later on, if we elect them. After they get elected will they continue to allow Jeff Crank to put a nickel in them and wind them up every Saturday morning?"

Barry Noreen, former columnist, Colorado Springs Gazette

"There's a lot of talent there" - Shannon Fowler

Friday, July 31, 2009

What is in H.R. 3200, Obama’s Health Care Plan?

By Jeff Crank

Many have seen the line-by-line examination of the President’s Health Care Bill. Americans for Prosperity looked at the claims and reviewed the legislation. While most of the frightening claims are TRUE, some are distortions and other criticisms are just plain false. You can compare the page citations to the bill itself.

TRUE, health care advisory committee • Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)

DISTORTION, will establish minimum levels of care to qualify for plans to qualify for the mandate • Page 42: The "Health Choices Commissioner" will decide health benefits for you. You will have no choice. None.

FALSE, says may include a machine readable health care coverage card, we have those right now• Page 58: Every person will be issued a National ID Healthcare.

TRUE, enable electronic funds transfers, in order to allow automated reconciliation with the related health care payment and remittance, • Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer.

TRUE • Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Healthcare Exchange.

FALSE, just sets limits for the types of plans that will be allowed in • Page 84: All private healthcare plans must participate in the Healthcare Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)

TRUE, but plenty of people in this country don't speak English but aren't illegals • Page 91: Government mandates linguistic infrastructure for services; translation: illegal aliens

DISTORTION, doesn't talk about paying them, just conducting "outreach" to educate on the program • Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Aerators to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan.

TRUE, but this is true under existing law • Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter.

TRUE • Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No "judicial review" is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed.

TRUE, for participating plans • Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the government will set wages.

DISTORTION, contains an opt out, but it does look like unless the employee takes the employer based coverage they are put into the public option • Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives.

TRUE • Page 149: Any employer with a payroll of $400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays an 8% tax on payroll

TRUE • Page 150: Any employer with a payroll of $250K-400K or=2 0more, who does not offer the public option, pays a 2 to 6% tax on payroll

TRUE • Page 167: Any individual who doesn’t' have acceptable healthcare (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income.

DISTORTION, it sets up new service categories, and pays according to the category, specialty cannot override that determination • Page 241: Doctors: no matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same (thanks, AMA!)

TRUE • Page 253: Government sets value of doctors' time, their professional judgment, etc.

DISTORTION, does not mandate it • Page 427: Government mandates program that orders end-of-life treatment; government dictates how your life ends.

TRUE • Page 429: Advance Care Planning Consult will be used to dictate treatment as patient's health deteriorates. This can include an ORDER for end-of-life plans. An ORDER from the GOVERNMENT.

DISTORTION, end of life planner will carry out the wishes of the patient, including treatments wanted and not wanted • Page 430: Government will decide what level of treatments you may have at end-of-life.